The search for the next James Bond is heating up, and according to recent reports, we may be closer than ever to knowing who will follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig as the seventh actor to play 007.
Speculation has been swirling ever since Daniel Craig made his explosive exit in No Time to Die (2021), the final film in his five-part run as the iconic spy. Now, a flurry of industry reports is beginning to paint a clearer picture of who Amazon MGM Studios has in mind for the role.
Industry Insiders Weigh In
The buzz kicked into high gear last week when industry insider Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) posted on X (formerly Twitter):
"I hear they're in the final round of casting for James Bond and might have already found their guy."
That report was followed by additional details from Page Six, which indicated that screen tests for the role are expected to begin in early September. According to that outlet, the shortlist includes five well-known names — Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Callum Turner (Eternity), Jacob Elordi (Wuthering Heights), Paul Mescal (Gladiator II), and Harris Dickinson (Where the Crawdads Sing) — plus one lesser-known actor: Jack Barton, who insiders describe as "the one."
Conflicting Reports Narrow the Field Further
Not everyone agrees on who's still in the running, however. Knight Edge Media reported exclusively that only one actor from the Page Six list remains in consideration, while adding another frontrunner to the mix:
"We at Knight Edge Media have exclusively learned that Callum Turner (Fantastic Beasts, Neuromancer) and Jack O'Connell (Sinners, 28 Years Later) are two of the three actors still in the running for the role."
Turner has been mentioned repeatedly over the past several months as a top contender. Jack Lowden, who had emerged as a real contender after being mentioned by a British TV celebrity, may no longer be in the running if the Knight Edge Media report is accurate.
As for the third spot on that even shorter list, Knight Edge Media noted:
"We have also learned there is a third dark-horse candidate who is currently unknown, and we couldn't verify who it would be from the previous shortlist. The studio did narrow it down to the final three actors as of last week. A small heads up: Jack Barton is the youngest and least known of the entire list and could have an edge as the unknown dark horse, but that's pure speculation."
Who Is Jack Barton?
So could Jack Barton be the next 007? The 31-year-old English actor has appeared in SAS: Rogue Heroes — notably created by Steven Knight, who is writing the script for the new Bond film. Barton has also appeared in The Letter for the King, Grantchester, and Poor Things.
Behind the Scenes of the New Bond Film
The untitled Bond reboot is being directed by Denis Villeneuve, who helmed all three films in the Dune trilogy, with the third entry releasing later this year. Casting director Nina Gold is leading the search for the new 007.
Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman (known for the Harry Potter films) are also on board. Pascal recently told Deadline that fans may not have to wait too long for an official announcement:
"I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical," she said, adding that the new iteration of Bond has "got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting and different."
A Word From a Bond Casting Legend
Longtime Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams — who cast Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig — shared her own perspective with The Independent in June, expressing reservations about any of the rumored names taking on the role:
"It is absolutely essential that [Bond] retains a total enigma. I don't want to see any of [the rumored stars] as Bond because we now know so much about them. We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that's what spies are. We don't need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives. We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He's licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don't, then you've lost the audience."
There is currently no release date for the untitled Bond reboot. Who do you think should step into the iconic tuxedo? Let us know in the comments!